It could take weeks, possibly months, for the sinkhole at Carney and Winnipeg to be fixed.

The City can’t excavate safely because of a build-up of water underneath the pipe in the sinkhole. Their plan is to install a dam near Carrie Jane Gray park and use a vactor truck to remove the sediment from the storm pipe.

The water flows through the Hudson’s Bay Wetland, beneath Queensway, and into the Fraser River.

General Manager of Engineering and Public Works Dave Dyer says they will have to use a camera to find a gap in the pipe.

“We will have to get down in the confined space to get a look at it so we can ascertain where this is coming from. Hopefully, we find it but it could be downstream a bit and that means we will have to suck out more sediment. Once we find it, then we have to figure out how to fix it.”

The dollar value of this project is expected to be well over $100,000 and it’s not clear if they will have to shut down the whole intersection.

“Because this sinkhole has been at this spot for the last two times, it’s likely right here. I don’t expect it to be downstream because it seems to be very consistent at this location.”

The City will also build in contingencies in case of another major storm event.